The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 3 - If They Could Do This to You...
Date: November 12, 2025
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle threats from artificial intelligence, U.S.-China relations, and current culture-war flashpoints. Highlighting a chilling first-hand account from conservative activist Robby Starbuck about being defamed by Google’s AI, the hosts examine the dangers of digital misinformation, tech accountability, and implications for ordinary Americans. Further, they check in with national security expert Stephen Yates, returning from an Asian policy tour, who offers in-depth insights on U.S. alliances, China, Taiwan, and the evolving fentanyl crisis. The episode closes with some lighthearted banter about coins and digital payments, teasing future show topics.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Dangers of AI Misinformation (w/ Robby Starbuck)

• Background: Conservative activist Robby Starbuck joins the show to discuss his personal experience battling defamatory and fabricated claims about himself generated by Google’s AI, first Bard, then Gemini and Gemma.
• Threats to Reputation: Robby recounts discovering that simple AI prompts about him yielded fabrications ranging from KKK support to false criminal allegations, complete with invented court and media records.
  • Quote:

    “Gemini and Gemma went so far as to make accusations that I was accused of sexual assault... It would get so detailed...invented fake court records, fake police records, fake victims, fake therapy records.”
    — Robby Starbuck (05:08)

• Wider Implications: Robby warns that this type of “malicious AI” could be used to sway political races or destroy individuals’ lives and opportunities, from jobs to insurance.
  • Quote:

    “Why couldn't they do this to anyone in America where Google… is probably the number one most important thing on the Internet, I would say, for most people in most professions.”
    — Buck Sexton (07:25)

• Difficulty Seeking Justice: Robby describes Kafkaesque frustrations trying to get Google to take action, ultimately relying on legal means after repeated refusals and an overwhelmed employee who quit.
  • Quote:

    “It was about three months later, she lets me know, 'I'm so sorry I wasn't able to fix this. I am resigning today.' And then things got much worse with Gemma and Gemini.”
    — Robby Starbuck (10:51)

• Legality & Malice: Robby and the hosts debate whether these AI outputs are random hallucinations or deliberate “poisoning,” concluding that Google’s persistent failure to act meets a legal standard for malice.
• Deepfake Dangers: The conversation expands to the threat of AI-generated videos or audio, and the ease with which a reputation could be fabricated and destroyed in the near future.
  • Quote:

    "Had this continued... It would have literally been inventing fake videos and audio of me doing these crimes. I want people to think about that..."
    — Robby Starbuck (13:42)

• Goal of Lawsuit: Robby hopes to set a precedent that AI technology should not be allowed to harm or defame people, and calls for root-level safeguards as rapid AI adoption continues.

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• Robby Starbuck story introduction: 05:08
• Broader implications of AI defamation: 07:25
• AI and real-world consequences (jobs, insurance): 08:21
• Frustrations contacting Google: 10:19
• AI malice vs. hallucination debate: 13:42
• Dangers of deepfakes and future of AI sabotage: 13:42

2. U.S.-Asia Policy and Fentanyl Crisis (w/ Stephen Yates)

• Recap of Asian Tour: National security expert Stephen Yates details a recent diplomatic tour across Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Korea, focusing on defense partnerships and countering China.
  • Quote:

    "This is opposite of isolationism. The president had a very widespread tour through the Indo Pacific region... Major meetings and decisions made."
    — Stephen Yates (23:24)

• Trump Administration’s Approach: Emphasizes that the current U.S. administration is strengthening alliances rather than withdrawing from global engagement, particularly in countering Chinese aggression.
• Importance of Taiwan: Yates underscores that Taiwan’s fate directly affects global trade, security, and technological value chains, making its defense a top strategic priority.
  • Quote:

    “Japan has a fundamental national interest in the status quo being maintained and that Taiwan continue to be a free and democratic territory... through which 50% of the world’s container traffic go.”
    — Stephen Yates (26:59)

• China and the Fentanyl Crisis: FBI Director Cash Patel’s announcement is played, stating that China has agreed to designate all known fentanyl precursor chemicals as controlled, potentially “shutting off the pipeline.”
  • Quote (Director Patel):

    “The People’s Republic of China has fully designated and listed all 13 precursors utilized to make fentanyl effective immediately. Essentially, President Trump has shut off the pipeline that creates fentanyl that kills tens of thousands of Americans.”
    — Cash Patel as played at 28:57

  • Quote (Yates):

    “As you know, Buck, my daughter was killed by fentanyl poisoning two years ago... I have no forgiveness for [China] in the slow and methodical murder of hundreds of thousands of Americans.”
    — Stephen Yates (30:11)

• Possible Taiwan Invasion: Yates is cautious about the threat of a Chinese move against Taiwan, emphasizing economic and security catastrophe should such an event occur and affirming confidence in improved U.S. deterrence.
• Call for Stronger Measures: Recommends designating illicit fentanyl chemicals as weapons of mass destruction to escalate consequences for trafficking.

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• Stephen Yates’ tour recap and U.S. alliances: 23:24
• Taiwan’s strategic importance: 26:59
• Fentanyl crisis and China’s pledge: 28:57
• Yates’ personal connection to fentanyl epidemic: 30:11
• Taiwan invasion discussion: 31:50

3. Cultural and Economic Notes

• Anti-Semitism: Buck spotlights a rise in anti-Semitic threats after October 7th and encourages listeners to support Jewish communities through the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
• Coins, Cash & Digital Life: The episode winds down with lighthearted takes on the disappearance of cash, the end of penny production, the value of pre-1960 silver coins, laundromat economics, and Clay’s chronic sports betting losses to Sean Hannity.
  • Quote:

    “I had the tux on at the Patriot Awards. I'm not usually having the wallet in the tux pants... A lot of great reactions, by the way, pouring in... all of you men out there with ten pounds of pocket change in one of your pockets, pulling down your pants.”
    — Clay Travis (38:41)

• Teases for Tomorrow: Promises deeper dives into H1B visa policy, home affordability (including 50-year mortgages), and a “scorching hot take” from Clay on digital reservation app OpenTable.

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• Coin and cash conversation: 38:02–42:00

Notable Quotes

• On AI Defamation:

  "This can happen to your son, your daughter, your wife, your husband...it could eliminate your ability to get jobs... It's already being used in reputation scoring for insurance."
  — Robby Starbuck (08:21)

• On Tech Accountability:

  "I can't get myself to a place where I think this is just AI run amok... There's too many similar threads and too many commonalities... for it to fit a hallucination pattern."
  — Robby Starbuck (13:42)

• On U.S. Policy in Asia:

  "The Trump administration is engaging the world… engaging differently. And the establishment doesn't know what to do about that."
  — Stephen Yates (23:24)

• Personal Impact of Fentanyl:

  "My daughter was killed by fentanyl poisoning two years ago... I think what Cash is saying is incred. I would also just add that this is ten years too late by China."
  — Stephen Yates (30:11)

• On the Disappearance of Change:

  "Most people are still going to keep losing pennies in their couch cushions and eventually, eventually they will all vanish."
  — Buck Sexton (41:15)

Episode Tone

The conversation balances urgency and concern—especially on AI risks, foreign policy, and the fentanyl crisis—with humor, personal anecdotes, and listener engagement. Clay and Buck’s signature blend of seriousness and entertainment shines through, making complex subjects accessible without sacrificing critical depth.

For Next Time

• Full H1B Visa Policy discussion
• Affordability of homes and 50-year mortgages
• OpenTable and digital consumer monitoring

Useful For

• Anyone interested in AI, tech accountability, and freedom of information
• Listeners seeking firsthand insights into U.S.-Asia policy and current global threats
• Those wanting a blend of current events, culture-war hot takes, and relatable stories

[End of Summary]